Shades of Gray
by Mystwalker
Summary: The Planet gives two people a new lease on life, with one condition. Now, the two of them have to learn how to deal with each other. Aeriseph.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Final Fantasy VII or any of its characters.

**A/N: **I've decided that I wanted to establish this before continuing **Sins of the Father**, so for those of you that haven't read **Sins**, read this first, because this will be the romance story that kicks off **Sins. **I don't foresee this becoming very long, but I can't give a good estimate of how long it will be. At the moment, I'm just writing, and we'll see what happens.

For those of you that _have _read **Sins of the Father**, a lot of groundwork for the plot of **Sins **is laid in this prologue. The rest is just romance and establishing the relationship that probably turns most people off to **Sins. **

Forgive the prologue for not being so good. I'm a little rusty. It's been a while since I've put words on a page.

XxXxX

**PROLOGUE**

In the darkness, it waited.

It was malevolence, a dark stain amidst the purity of the Lifestream, slowly creeping, patiently waiting. Its tendrils wove into the light around it, the spot of darkness ever growing, ever expanding. It's growth was slow, barely noticeable now. It would take a long time before it recovered to its full strength, but it was calm. Haste had almost destroyed it before. Haste would not destroy it again.

_She _had waited eons for this moment. She had been thwarted time and time again—her plans destroyed, her servants broken, her sons led astray or vanquished in battle. But no more. She would be patient, and she would wait. Her remaining sons, she would nurture in secrecy, her plans, she would keep to herself. She would allow the world to grow again, to become complacent.

And then she would strike.

And none would stand in her way.

XxXxX

A world away, a light shone.

The light surrounded her, radiating from her very being as she stood in the center of the place she had made of herself. It reflected off her pale blond hair, weaving into the fabric of the simple white dress that she wore. She watched the Lifestream and watched the darkness, sadness reflected in her clear blue eyes. She stared almost directly in front of her, seemingly into nothingness, calmly disregarding the black feathers scattered around the surface of the floor around her and patiently waiting for the man that leaned against the pillar behind her to speak up.

When he said nothing, she sighed softly and raised her head.

"Do you mean to dissuade me, Genesis?" she asked.

The man known as Genesis raised his head, his single black wing curling inwards slightly. His arms were folded, a pensive frown on his face. "I said no such thing," he said.

"You need not," said the woman. "Your feelings are written all over your face." She raised a hand. "Speak freely and of your own accord, please. I would hear what you have to say."

Genesis hesitated only for a moment. "If you act, she will notice," he said. "And she will act as well."

"And if I do not act, she will win," said the woman.

"Your plan could turn against you as easily as it could turn in your favor. Even _if _it works. We're talking about Sephiroth here. You're forgetting, I know him well. Even better than you do."

The woman sighed. "It is true," she said. "Sephiroth is no child of mine."

"But you would go ahead with your plan anyway," said Genesis, frowning at her.

The woman bowed her head. "It is the only way," she said.

"You would hurt her," said Genesis. "The Cetra woman. Isn't she one of yours?"

She lowered her eyes to the ground, and for a moment, the light around her seemed to diminish. But it was only a moment, before the light around her strengthened, becoming stronger than before. "...I have lived a long time, Genesis," she said. "Though it pains me, I have learned that sometimes, one must be ruthless in order to survive. I grow weak. She grows strong. In time, she will overpower me, unless I act now." She raised her head, looking him in the eye. "I am sure you know this well."

Genesis said nothing for a few long moments. Finally, he looked away.

"So be it," he said, straightening up. He turned away from her, placing his hands in his pockets and beginning to walk.

"Will you fulfill your role, when the time comes?" she asked.

Genesis stopped. "Goddess…" he said quietly. "…I gave you my word."

Minerva sighed, nodding her head. "I thank you," she said. "Sleep, until the time comes."

Genesis said nothing, beginning to walk away again. He had gone only three steps before he stopped, looking up.

"Sephiroth…" he said softly. "…wanted to destroy you."

"Yes."

"…When your plans come to light…" said Genesis. "…he will want to again."

"Sacrifices must be made. For the sake of a future."

Genesis paused for a moment, before slowly beginning to walk away.

XxXxX

**A/N: **Genesis fans, don't expect to see him much in this story, as everything after this will be focused on Aeriseph.


	2. Redemption

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Final Fantasy VII or any of its characters.

XxXxX

**CHAPTER 1: REDEMPTION**

He didn't know how long he floated in the Lifestream, waiting.

He knew that it was a short time after Cloud had defeated him yet again, but his concept of time was flawed, skewed by the eons of knowledge that flowed in steady streams around him, brushing close to him, but never close enough to touch. He was aware, in a sense, that the stream couldn't absorb him completely—that his existence was something alien to it, something that existed outside of it—but he was also aware that he didn't have the strength to move, to regenerate again and affect the events outside the stream.

He realized that this was what it was to die, and wondered for a moment if his solitary existence was punishment for what he had done. Because surely, this was not the fate of all the people who had been altered in the way that he was. He knew that Genesis and Angeal had not met with the same solitary end.

They would come on occasion to speak with him, as if to offer him some sort of solace—Angeal more often than Genesis. He would never answer them, though whether it was because his incapability to assume a form more solid than mere presence prevented him from speaking or because he simply didn't want to, not even he knew. And after a while, even Angeal had simply stopped coming.

He didn't mind the solitude, though. In fact, he preferred it.

So it came as a surprise, and a mild irritation, when a voice broke through the silence one day, calling him.

"_Sephiroth." _

The voice was female. He could tell that much, and although he was certain that he had never heard it before, it somehow felt familiar to him. Its familiarity was more distant, though. Certainly not the same bond he had felt when he heard his Mother's voice.

…No. Not his Mother. He knew that much now. It had been made clear to him…at length…after his most recent defeat. It had been that knowledge, the knowledge that all he had worked for had been false, that had caused him to withdraw for a time.

"_Sephiroth, look at me." _

He looked, and saw in his limited perception as he floated in the Lifestream, a light, one that seemed to be larger and brighter than all the others that surrounded him. He thought he could make out for just a moment, traces of shimmering blond hair, of pale skin. He heard her voice clearer now. Her tone was musical. And he knew for a fact that _this _was the voice of the Planet.

"What do you want with me?"

His voice sounded odd to him, after not hearing it for a while. The last time he had heard it, he realized, had been after his defeat by Cloud. His promise to never become a memory.

"_I want to give you another chance." _

He felt a bit of his old personality return, non-existent lips curling up in a dark smirk. "And what have I done to gain such favor?" he asked.

"_It's not what you have done, but what you will do," _said the Planet.

Of course. He knew that the Planet would not bring back someone such as him without a catch. He had been expecting it since the start of the conversation. "And what would you have me do?" he asked.

"_I will offer you a chance to redeem yourself," _said the Planet. _"I mean to restore the Cetra—my people. The woman you killed was the last of them. I would have you right your wrongs, by protecting the light you once destroyed." _

"You would have me be a bodyguard?" asked Sephiroth. Despite himself, he was intrigued. The prospect of coming to life again was not something he could turn down so easily, even though he was certain the young flower girl would have reservations about him being assigned to protect her.

"_The choice is yours," _said the Planet. _"Should you accept, I will…relieve you of your suffering. I will erase all traces of Jenova's influence in your mind, and will restore you to the person you were before the madness took you. However, to remove her cells completely from your body is not within my power. That would destroy who you are completely. Neither will I remove the enhancements given to you, as those will only aid you to protect my child." _

"An interesting proposition," said Sephiroth. "But assuming I accept, how can you trust that I will do as you ask?"

"_I see all that transpires within my power," _said the Planet. _"And what I give, I can easily take away." _

"You would kill me," said Sephiroth simply. It wasn't a question.

"_Aerith is dear to me," _said the Planet. _"She has suffered much. If you were to raise a hand to her or willingly shirk your responsibility to protect her, yes. I would kill you again." _

"And the woman?" asked Sephiroth. "Aerith? I can't see her wanting to willingly be around me."

"_She will be afraid, at first," _said the Planet. _"But Aerith is kind and forgiving. If there is good in you, she will see it. That is simply the person that she is. Do you accept my terms?" _

Sephiroth was silent for a few moments. Another chance at life, an escape from this prison, the possibility to set things right…it was very difficult to turn down. He had no doubts that he was strong enough to do what was asked of him. But he couldn't shake off a nagging feeling of doubt. Why him? Certainly, the Planet cared nothing for him. If it was simply for his strength, Zack or Angeal would suffice. Zack would be more than willing to protect the girl. His SOLDIER instincts screamed at him, telling him that there was something more to this, something the Planet wasn't telling him.

But what reason would the Planet have to lie? What reason would the Planet have to want him back in the world, aside from the ones it had already given?

He knew the Planet would accept no more questions from him, only answers. He knew it suddenly as well as he knew his own name.

"…I accept your terms," he said.

His own voice was the last thing he heard before blinding light surrounded him.


	3. Rebirth

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Final Fantasy VII or any of its characters.

Sorry for the late update. I was caught up in college and finishing up an original novel and I completely forgot about all of this. But I'm back now and hoping to keep on writing for as long as I have people willing to read. ^^

XxXxX

**CHAPTER 2: REBIRTH**

When he awoke, he was lying on something hard and cold. He was flat on his back, and he could feel the uneven portions of the stone poking at him through the leather of his coat. He flexed his fingers, and a rush of familiar sensations swept over him at once—the slight resistance offered by his gloves, the feel of Masamune's hilt in his left hand, a slight twinge of pain from where his hair was caught beneath his shoulders, the faint scent of water…

He had almost forgotten what it felt like to have a body. To live.

His mako green eyes opened slowly, the world coming into sharp focus around him. An eerie blue light illuminated the area, white trees forming a network just over his head. Somewhere near his feet, he heard the soft sound of water lapping against rock. For some reason, his body felt heavy, his thoughts sluggish. His eyes drifted slowly closed again, his mind working through the thought processes that had been ingrained into him during his career in SOLDIER. He was clearly in the Forgotten Capital. If he allowed himself a few more moments to become fully rested, he would easily be able to find civilization and…

His eyes snapped open as a sudden thought occurred to him and he bolted upright, his previous lethargy seeming to fade away.

The Forgotten Capital. The Planet's words.

Aerith.

She floated on the surface of the pool, her hands clasped over her stomach and her eyes closed. There was a peaceful smile on her face, and light shone in the water around her. She might have still been dead, but the wound from when he had impaled her on Masamune was absent, and he saw her chest rise and fall slightly in her sleep. Sephiroth thrust Masamune point first into the ground and waded into the water.

By the time he reached her, the water had come up to his knees. He stared down at her, frowning. He had never really gotten a good look at the Cetra girl before, only taking an interest in her and in her role in the moments before he killed her. He knew that she had been Zack's girlfriend, and that Cloud had momentarily taken an interest in her before her death, but those thoughts were inconsequential. His instructions from the Planet had been clear. He was to protect her, not to be her friend or her companion. He studied her carefully, maintaining an objective viewpoint.

He knew from his battles with Cloud and his friends that she wasn't physically strong, although she could use a staff reasonably well without smacking her own fingers or hitting herself in the process. Her usefulness to the group had come from her considerable ability to heal, and her affinity for Materia. Certainly she wasn't built like a warrior, so in the event that they were attacked by monsters, he would have to keep himself between her and them at all times.

The best thing to do would be to find civilization—perhaps some remote village somewhere where word about him hadn't really spread, and settle her there. From there, she would be relatively safe, and free to make contact with her friends if she so chose. Of course, to ensure that the operation went smoothly, he would need her willing cooperation, so he would have to discuss his plans with her somewhat when she awoke. And although he highly doubted that the Planet would allow her to get sick so soon after her resurrection, it was probably best that he got her out of the water.

He reached out and lifted her up, placing one arm behind her knees and the other around her back as he lifted her out of the water. She was surprisingly light, and it didn't take much effort for him to turn around and carry her back onto the shore.

They had only taken a few steps out of the water, though, when he felt Aerith begin to stir in his arms. Sephiroth stopped and looked down, a frown on his face. He watched as her bright green eyes slowly opened, and she looked blearily up at him. Sephiroth froze, standing still as she blinked, then tensed. Her green eyes suddenly got very wide.

And then she screamed.

XxXxX

The sound of her scream echoed in the small chamber, a high, keening sound that seemed to last for a long while after her mouth closed. She stared, wide-eyed at her captor. Sephiroth didn't seem fazed at all. He stared down at her with an impassive, almost bored look in his eye, as if he had fully anticipated her reaction and found that nothing deviated from his expectations. She froze, and whatever she was going to say to him died in her throat. Fear clutched at her heart, her blood turning to ice in her veins.

He didn't look much different from the last time she had really seen him, lying on her side as her life faded away. The same snow-white hair, cold green eyes…On impulse, her hands suddenly shot up and clutched at her chest, covering the area he had stabbed her in. She blinked in surprise and looked down. There was no blood. No pain.

"There is an explanation, but you'll have to stand still long enough to hear it," said Sephiroth. The sound of his voice startled her, and she looked up. He watched her closely now, the look in his eye that of someone assessing developments in a situation. That of a _soldier _assessing a situation. The fanatical gleam he had had in his eye was gone.

He lowered her to the ground and she immediately jumped from her feet, springing back and putting some distance between the two of them. He watched her reactions cautiously, but there was nothing predatory about his regard this time, nothing in his manner that spoke of ill intentions. He seemed like a completely different person from the man she had killed her.

That alone kept her from running, but fear kept her from moving any closer.

His next words took her aback. "The Planet didn't tell you anything?" he asked.

Aerith stared. "I—The Planet—." She shook her head. "The Planet told me that it was sending me back. It said it would give me protection, but I—." She stopped suddenly, realization hitting her. Aerith stared at Sephiroth again. He said nothing, moving to where Masamune stood, embedded point first in the stone. The ex-SOLDIER took the hilt in his left hand, pulling the long blade out of the ground in one smooth motion.

She flinched as he raised it above his head, taking a step back, but he only placed it to his back, the sword snapping into place the same way Zack and Cloud's had. He looked over his shoulder at her, taking into account the frightened look on her face.

"We should move," he said. "We'll need to find some sort of civilization."

She didn't say anything, still staring at him in surprise. Sephiroth frowned at her.

"…Aerith," he said.

At the sound of her name, she looked up, her eyes widening. "What?" she asked. "Oh! Oh, yes. We should…um…move."

He nodded and stepped aside, motioning for her to walk ahead of him. She swallowed, clenching her hands nervously into fists as she took a deep breath and walked past him. When he didn't move, she exhaled slowly, relaxing slightly as she started to walk. He followed behind her, keeping a respectful distance as the two of them left the Forgotten Capital.


	4. Truce

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Final Fantasy VII or any of its characters.

Alright! You guys get to influence the story a bit here. Name the town that they'll be staying in! Send me your name ideas in a review, and I'll choose the best one for the next chapter. Take note that it's a small little town that wouldn't have been important enough during the actual canon to play through, but other than that, send in whatever name you'd like.

XxXxX

**CHAPTER 3: TRUCE**

It was one of those pleasantly warm days that signaled the end of spring and the beginning of summer. Sunlight drifted down through the gaps in the trees, alternating patches of sunlight and shadow coloring the ground. Overhead, the wind blew softly, rustling gently through the leaves. It was a perfect, idyllic summer day.

Sunlight flashed off of Masamune's blade, blood trailing in a wide arc in its wake.

Sephiroth moved like the wind, pivoting towards the right as the second monster lunged at him. His movements bled into one another, so that it was impossible to tell where one ended and the other began. It looked like one single movement from beginning to end, a single masterful calculated stroke. Sunlight flashed off the blade again as he ducked down and swept upward, the sword's blade opening up a gash along the wolf-like creature's belly. It fell to the ground, its mouth still pulled into a snarl, as if it had died too suddenly for it to realize it was dead. Sephiroth ended the movement by going full circle, flicking the blood off of his sword with one single movement.

The two bodies lay on either side of him, blood staining the grass red. Not a drop of blood had touched him, though. He stood in the center of a circle of carnage, the eye of the storm.

And all Aerith had had time to do was stare.

She stared because she had seen Cloud fight. She had seen Zack fight. But she hadn't seen _this_. Cloud and Zack were strong and highly skilled. Both had beaten Sephiroth once, on their own. But neither of them had ever fought like that, no hesitation, no friendly banter, no stopping to talk or issue orders, not even an exclamation of surprise at the suddenness of the battle, just sharp, brutal efficiency and skill. The moment the monsters made their presence known, he had darted from his position behind her so quickly she almost hadn't noticed it, drawing his sword and dispatching them in a matter of moments.

For the first time, she understood why he had been so famous in Midgar, why the people who spoke of him then had done so with equal parts fear and awe. She understood how one man could be capable of destroying the world.

He sheathed his sword and turned towards her, looking up at her. His frown deepened as he saw her standing there where he had left her, watching him. Sephiroth's eyes drifted towards her empty hands.

"You don't have a weapon?" he asked.

Aerith's eyes widened as she realized that. Sephiroth had been resurrected with Masamune, but she had been too shocked at the whole situation to look and see if her staff had materialized the same way. Now that they were hours away from the Capital, as evidenced by the fact that monsters had finally started appearing in the forest, it would be too late to walk back and look for it. They would end up wasting the entire day.

"I—I didn't check," she said. She shook her head. "I didn't do a lot of the fighting anyway. I mostly healed and used Materia."

"I see," said Sephiroth. "Do you have any Materia?"

Aerith bit her lip. Strike two.

"I didn't check either," she admitted. "I don't have any on me right now…" Sephiroth raised an eyebrow at her, then turned and began to walk to the right.

"But I don't need Materia to heal," she blurted out. He stopped in his tracks, looking up at her. There was a brief flicker of interest in his expression for a moment.

"You don't?" he asked.

Aerith shook her head. "It helps," she said. "But I can manage without it."

"I see…" he said. "It's a useful skill, but not enough. You shouldn't be completely defenseless. I don't know how long it will take us to find civilization." He frowned and continued to walk, staring at the ground. "You used a staff, correct?"

"I did…" said Aerith.

He bent down, picking up a long piece of wood in his hand. Sephiroth lifted it, testing his weight and holding it up towards her as if comparing its height. He frowned in thought and raised Masamune, the long blade cutting off a chunk of wood and then another. He worked slowly but skillfully, expertly maneuvering the unwieldy blade around the branch until it formed a rough staff. When he finished, he held it out to her.

"Try this," he said.

Aerith took it from him cautiously, turning it over in her hands. She hesitantly raised it up, taking a practice swing. Sephiroth watched her, and his scrutiny made her nervous. It seemed as if he was testing her, evaluating her.

"How is it?" he asked.

"It's a little rougher than I'm used to," she said. "Lighter too…"

He shrugged. "It can't be helped," he said. "It won't hold up long in actual combat, but it's better than nothing." He stood up from where he sat, lifting Masamune up and placing it against his back again. "Ready to go?"

Aerith nodded once in assent, and the two of them continued to move.

XxXxX

They continued moving through the forest at a moderate pace. Sephiroth kept a close eye on his charge, taking note of her condition and calling stops to rest when she wearied. Even under Shinra's employ, he had not been sent on very many missions of protection. Destruction had always been his forte, and there was never any shortage of Turks around to guard important persons when necessary. Still, he understood the basics. It was generally the person being escorted (presumably the weaker party) who set the pace, except in situations of emergency or otherwise dire need.

Since Aerith was not injured and it was not imperative that they leave the forest _immediately_, now was not one of those times.

They had run into several more monsters during their travels, all of which he dispatched before his charge could get any ideas about aiding him. The makeshift weapon she carried was more for his peace of mind than for her protection—should a monster by any chance slip past his acute senses, she would be able to defend herself long enough for him to reach her—but he had about as much trust in its sturdiness as he had in her ability to effectively wield it.

Not enough.

He glanced at her from where he walked, a step behind her and to the right. She was looking straight ahead, a slight frown on her face, and her makeshift staff held loosely in one hand, as if the weapon were a snake and she was prepared to drop it the moment it moved to strike. She hadn't spoken much since they left the Capital early in the day, responding only when spoken to. He preferred it this way. It allowed him to focus, and he had never had any time for idle chatter. But he was also aware that that wasn't her usual state of mind.

He took note of that, not out of concern, but because it was part of his assessment of her. People reacted differently than they normally would during periods of great emotional stress—certainly his own…previous deeds were proof that even he wasn't immune to this. It was entirely possible that her fear of him or her confusion would cause her to react irrationally, and in a way that would bring harm to herself.

This was simply a fact, not a problem that he was trying to solve. It wasn't a problem that he could solve if he wanted to.

She had every right to be afraid of him.

A fragment of memory flashed into his mind. Aerith on her knees below him, Masamune comfortably heavy in his hand, the wind rushing through his hair as he swooped down and angled his strike…

His left hand clenched into a fist at the memory, but otherwise he didn't react.

He had killed before, many times before he had finally snapped. But it had never been personal.

That, and the other deaths he had caused during his period of insanity, had been. He realized this, now that he was thinking clearly for the first time in years. As a SOLDIER, it had been purely business. Whatever emotions he had felt then, whatever he believed, he had kept separate from what he was doing. It was war, he was a SOLDIER, and it was his job. Nothing more, nothing less.

Later, though, it had been different. It was personal. Every death he had caused had been driven by something—rage, hatred, pride, devotion…even simple indifference had been a driving force that was different from his SOLDIER days.

He had crossed the line from soldier to murderer. And while a soldier could claim to be a victim of circumstance, a murderer chose his own path, and paid the consequence.

And as he realized that, he wondered again why the Planet chose to revive him.

He put the thought out of his mind, noticing that the sun was about to set. He stopped, looking around the clearing that they had found themselves in. Aerith, noticing him, stopped as well, turning around to look at him with a confused look on her face.

"We'll stop here for the night," he said.

In the course of an hour, he had built up a fire and had gone off to find food. He returned a little while later with meat already skinned and prepared to find Aerith sitting by the fire with her knees pulled up close to herself, feeding it from a pile of dried wood she had collected from the surrounding area. He speared the meat on sharp sticks, leaving them to cook.

"There's a small stream not too far from here," he said as he sat down by the fire. "I'll accompany you to get water later."

Aerith nodded. "I know," she said. "I can hear it."

Sephiroth frowned. "Hear it?" he asked.

She shook her head. "It's hard to explain," she said, idly picking up a dried leaf and twirling it between her fingers. "I just…can. It's like hearing the wind…"

"I see…" said Sephiroth. So this was the power of a true Cetra? "What can you hear?"

"Words, sometimes…" said Aerith. "But it's mostly feelings. Little thoughts. Sometimes pictures." She smiled slightly, the first he had seen since her resurrection. "I know, it sounds silly."

"Not at all," he said. His mind was already sorting through her words, trying to guess at the nature of her relationship with the Planet. He was curious, he realized. He had spent years believing that he was a Cetra, the last Cetra. Now that he knew that he wasn't, he was curious as to how a real Cetra saw the world. "What do they say?"

"Water's always nice," said Aerith, smiling now as if she was talking about old friends. She still wasn't looking at him. "It's comforting, gentle almost. It can be wild sometimes, and it does get angry, but it's…deep…Wind is…different." She frowned. "It's…I feel like since it's all the way up there, looking down on everything, that it just stops…caring. It's indifferent, and when it gets angry, it's loud…and harsh…" She shook her head, letting her hands fall to her lap. "I used to be afraid of the sky because of it. I didn't like going out from under the plate."

"I see," said Sephiroth again, nodding. "What changed?"

"I started to realize that it must be sad," she said. "Being up there above everything else…when you're alone at the top like that, it must get lonely. I thought…maybe it just needed somebody to talk to." She smiled a bit, smoothing out her pink dress.

Sephiroth watched her but said nothing, merely nodding once. He checked on their food and lifted the meat from the fire, handing Aerith a skewer. "It's hot," he warned. "You'll burn yourself."

Aerith took it from him carefully, and the pair ate in silence for a while before she looked up.

"…Sephiroth," she said, quietly.

The sound of his name was almost foreign to him. It had been so long since he had last heard it. He paused, the skewer of meat halfway to his mouth as he looked up and turned towards her. She looked away.

"…Yes?" he prompted.

Aerith turned her head, tentatively facing him. She raised her eyes to his for just a moment, then lowered them again. "You aren't…" she began, then changed her mind, shaking her head slightly and starting over. "You're…back to normal…aren't you?"

Normal. That was a word that had never been used to describe him. Maybe he would have laughed, if the situation hadn't been so tense. Maybe. Instead, he frowned.

"In a way," he said. "I'm no longer under Mo—." He stopped. "—under Jenova's control."

Aerith nodded once, seeming to accept his answer. Her eyes flicked back up towards his, and she held eye contact for a few moments longer before she looked away again and continued to eat. She didn't say anything to him for the rest of the night, but he felt it, an almost tentative peace settling between the two of them. They made their way over to the stream, to drink water and wash, then returned to the camp site to settle down for the night.

"…Good night, Sephiroth," he heard Aerith say as she settled down on her side of the fire, turning on her side with her back towards him. He paused, in the middle of setting Masamune down beside him and settling down as well.

"Good night, Aerith…"

XxXxX

The next morning, he awoke to frantic footsteps coming towards him. He had slept little the night before, but he never really needed much of it—just a few hours would suffice. His eyes were already half open by the time Aerith reached him, a look of urgency on her face. "Sephiroth!" she said.

He was on his feet almost immediately, Masamune in his hand. "What is it?" he asked.

"Come on," said Aerith, running off into the woods. "This way!"

Sephiroth hurried after her, quickly keeping pace. They stopped in at the crest of a hill that sloped down into the valley below, half-hidden by the trees. Aerith pointed down into the valley, out of breath. Sephiroth looked over her shoulder.

Several of the wolf-like monsters had congregated, and one of them was dragging something towards the group. It looked human. His eyes narrowed as he realized what it was. The body of a young girl.

"We have to help her," said Aerith.

"She's most likely already dead," said Sephiroth, frowning.

Aerith shook her head fiercely. "She's alive," she said. "We have to help her."

Sephiroth didn't ask her how she knew. He looked from her to the valley below. He knew that if the girl was still alive, she was likely badly injured. It wasn't likely she would survive in the aftermath. But if the girl was here, it meant civilization, and if they could save her, maybe she could show them the way. Besides, if he didn't move, there was a chance Aerith might do something stupid. Like decide she wanted to save the girl herself.

He gripped Masamune tightly in his left hand, turning towards her. "Don't move," he said. "Stay right here."

She nodded once, and Sephiroth ran off, a silver and black streak as he moved downhill.

Masamune's blade flashed in the sun again.


End file.
